Explore Our Capabilities

South Carolina Government Relations

Overview

Parker Poe Consulting (PPC) is a governmental relations consulting firm with professionals that bring integrity, long-standing personal relationships and more than 50 years combined experience to clients. We are committed to providing exceptional service by embracing challenges, offering clear direction and utilizing proven expertise to achieve excellent outcomes for our clients.

PPC represents diverse clients with many different needs before all branches of state government. We have the ability to develop creative strategies that address the specific needs of our clients at every level of government. All three of our lobbyists are in good standing with the South Carolina Ethics Commission.

We offer a full complement of services including government relations, legislative monitoring, crisis management and image consulting to support some of the Southeast’s most prestigious companies. We also provide valuable state-level advice to global companies, public utilities, manufacturing companies, higher education institutions, counties and municipalities.

Grass-Roots Approach

PPC has a solid history of developing, planning and implementing strategies for our clients with input, direction and approval from the client’s committee charged with making these decisions. Our diverse team has been successful in executing legislative agendas and priorities. Our success is impacted largely by an organized grass-roots approach where all members have an investment in the process; therefore, becoming more efficient in the successes of our clients’ legislative goals.

Vast Legislative Experience and Strong Relationships

Our law firm partner, Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, has numerous well-respected lawyers with years of experience in drafting legislation. PPC has excellent relationships with staff in Legislative Council who are responsible for finalizing all legislation prior to its introduction by either body of government.

Our relationships with members of the General Assembly are very strong on both sides of the aisle. We are especially proud of PPC’s relationship with current leadership in the House and Senate. Through many years of hard work and earning trust, we have cultivated these relationships and consistently look out for their best interests. We are proactive in preparing our clients with all pertinent information and awareness of any potential pitfalls. Members understand that when we address the Assembly, we speak truthfully in making an ask, and we believe it is good for the state of South Carolina and its citizens.

Representation

In representing clients, we consider attending legislative events part of our job. With three team members, we cover all bases. We assist in the planning, organization and implementation of many legislative events at the State House for our clients. We have very good relationships with State House staff, as well as managers of the Blatt and Gressette (state government) buildings. Without these relationships, we would not have the success rate that we enjoy. Many of the members and their staff are long-time friends and the result of many years of cultivation. Coaching, teaching and training our clients on how to be advocates, build relationships with members and become effective in getting their message across is one of the key aspects of our services. If successful, this not only assists our clients in achieving their long-term goals, but most importantly, it also raises their stature among the members of the General Assembly.

Featured Experience

State Budget

Our success rate in dealing with budgetary issues for our clients has been excellent, as well as with each respective budget committee. Our goals in the state budget have been met on behalf of our clients of all sizes, ranging from nonprofits to large pharmaceuticals because of our long-term relationships with the committee chairmen, subcommittee chairmen and staff analysts. We have worked hard to achieve and maintain these alliances with the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees. These are two of our most valuable resources for our budget client-assets that many others have not achieved. Our budget work is very intensive; however, it has proven to result in excellent outcomes.

Higher Education/K-12

We have successfully lobbied the General Assembly on behalf of K-12 and higher education institutions before the General Assembly. We were able to triple the budget dollars for all virtual and bricks and mortar charter schools in South Carolina. The strategies implemented allowed us to secure state dollars for our clients in these difficult economic times.

Telecommunications and Public Utilities

We have extensive experience representing our clients before the General Assembly, as well as the Public Service Commission. Representing one of the largest public utilities in the state, we deal with energy issues on a regular occurrence. Our relationships with the legislative committee members responsible for these issues are longstanding and have afforded us many positive outcomes.

Health Care

Our relationships with the members of the General Assembly that deal with health care issues in South Carolina have allowed us the ability to pass legislation for clients such as the Hospital Association, Personal Care Providers and ophthalmologists. Our firm is also on the cutting edge of technology with medical marijuana. Our numerous connections in the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Health and Environmental Control have enabled us to garner many successes for our health care clients. Health care is a critical issue in South Carolina, and we are proud to be part of a team assisting all South Carolinians to access better care.

Agriculture

Our team has relationships with the Department of Agriculture, Farm Bureau, House and Senate Agriculture committee chairmen and other agriculturally-based associations. We have dealt with issues relating to industrial hemp, deer tags, coyote reimbursement, dam safety and many others. Agriculture is one of the most important industries in South Carolina and we take pride in helping to protect farmers and hunters of all types.

Procurement

The procurement process can be very cumbersome. We have the ability to help our clients navigate this process due to our excellent relationships with the newly created Office of State Fiscal Accountability Authority as well as the existing office of the Budget and Control Board. Our many friends in the agency have been very generous in their time helping us understand how the new agency’s procurement process will be executed. Thus far, we have enjoyed many successes in the procurement process for our clients.

Nonprofit

Our team takes great pride in representing nonprofits all across the state of South Carolina as well as across the country. Some of our nonprofit victories have come with clients such as the American Heart Association, Fathers and Families and the Boys and Girls Club. We have been very effective at procuring critical first-time recurring dollars for the Fathers and Families of South Carolina: Jobs not Jail program. We procured more than half of the overall budget for the program. In working for the American Heart Association, we were able to pass landmark CPR legislation which teaches every high school child in South Carolina this lifesaving skill before graduation. We have garnered financial and legislative support for great nonprofits because we believe in the mission and the services they provide.

Banking and Finance

We provide the most experienced governmental relations consulting on credit and finance issues at the State House. Our experience spans from the deregulation of usury limitations in 1982 to modern day proposals in all areas of lending operations including mortgage, commercial and subprime lending. We maintain continuing relations with legislators and staff related to banking and consumer groups that influence public policy in this area.

Environment

We have successfully represented clients concerning waste disposal and land use issues dating back to the historic Beach Front Management Act of 1986. Our relationships with the members of the House and Senate regulatory committees enabled us to defeat landfill moratorium legislation designed to destroy the waste industries business model in South Carolina. We also have extensive experience with South Carolina’s permitting process at the state and local level, showing that our depth goes beyond the General Assembly. Local elected officials are important in environmental issues, and we enjoy great alliances with our cities and counties.

Services

Services

Bill Introduction Alerts

Weekly Legislative Report

Alerts & Special Communications

Meetings with Legislators and Staff

These meetings take place with clients and their lobbyist as needed or requested. Members of the General Assembly respond when a constituent makes a request and has a true appreciation for the issue of the constituent. As your lobbyist, we take the time to explain any issues and their importance to the client. We schedule these meetings as part of our responsibility and are always present at these meetings, providing the client background information on the member.

Out of Session Monthly Catch-Up Meetings

PPC meets with clients on a regular basis while they are out of session. These meetings are more relaxed and provide us the opportunity to talk about something specific, showing the member appreciation for what they do. We update our client on any pertinent information discovered at these meetings and also give the members the choice to attend the meeting.